History: (Batman I #670, Robin II #168, Nightwing II #138) - Sensei formed a splinter group of the League of Assassins and assembled his strike force the Seven Men of Death. Sensei learned that Ra’s al Ghul had come back to life, albeit temporarily, with his mind in the body of his chauffer Sam Tang. He could not allow the demon to find the shifting city of Nanda Parbat and gain life unceasing. He assembled his Seven Men of Death, asking Hook and Merlyn how they should slay the demon. The Seven Men of Death brought Sensei two pieces of the secret map to Nanda Parbat. Sensei told his men the map pieces could be anything from a piece of parchment to a tattoo or pendant. He dispatched Merlyn to find one of the seven families of the map. Merlyn found the hermit entrusted with the map and shot him with arrows before getting a look at his birthmark. Sensei sent Hook and Maduvu to Singapore, where they located another keeper of the map. When Maduvu threatened to rip his wife’s unborn child from her belly he relented and gave them his piece of the map, which was a poem. Sensei received their report and discussed the matter with Merlin. Sensei found the patterns drawing the map pieces together and was confident he’d located where the entrance to Nanda Parbat was in the Himalayas.

(Batman I #671) - Sensei, League ninjas and the Men of Death set fire to Nanda Parbat, with Sensei demanding the monks of Parbat give him the keys to the temple of Rama Kushna. The monks warned him that the Fountain of Life would bring only death to one who lacked purity of spirit, but Sensei said he intended to poison and pollute the fountain. Ra’s captured Robin and Damian, and told batman to choose which of his sons he would sacrifice so Ra’s could possess them. Batman refused to choose between them, and told Ra’s there was another way for him to restore himself. He offered to take Ra’s to Nanda Parbat and the Fountain of Life, and Ra’s accepted. They found Parbat ablaze, and Ra’s asked Batman if he ever saw someone that hated their enemy as much as Sensei hated Ra’s. Batman battled the Men of Death, and was surprised with how easily he overcame them. The monks of Parbat said Rama Kusha had strengthened his hand and weakened theirs. Batman and Ra’s made their way to the fountain of Life, which Ra’s had always believed was the prototype of the Lazarus Pits that had kept him alive over the centuries. Sensei was infuriated to see Ra’s yet lived, and asked what he needed to do to get rid of his wayward son. Ra’s asked him why he stood in his way, and Sensei responded that under Ra’s and Talia’s rule the League of Assassins had lost their way and their honor, and he needed to restore both to them.. Sensei rammed his staff into Ra’s chest , saying that if he just died Sensei might spare the Fountain. Batman and Sensei engaged in battle, with Sensei breaking Batman’s arm. Sensei was clearly the more skilled fighter, bragging that Batman had trained in combat for decades while he’d trained for centuries. Sensei threw his staff, driving it through Batman’s stomach. Batman knew he was outmatched, but because of his advanced age Sensei had limited stamina, and Batman kept the fight going long enough to get the advantage. They fell into the Fountain of Life and Sensei found himself burning, unable to stand the purity of the Fountain.

(Robin II #169, Nightwing II #139) - Ra’s transferred his consciousness to one of the Nanda Parbat monks, but found that his presence immediately caused the monk’s body to start decaying. He told the Men of Death that with Sensei dead it would be sensible for them to align themselves with him. Batman approached them, and Merlyn, deciding he wanted to go down in history as the man who killed Batman, shot an arrow at him. Batman dodged it and floored Merlyn with one punch. Ra’s warned the Men of Death that if any of them tried to attack Batman they’d have to go through him first. Ra’s knew Batman had emerged from the Fountain of Life, and said that in a sense they’d both been reborn. He offered Batman his hand in friendship, saying they could accomplish great things together. He warned that this was the last time he would ever offer his friendship, and Batman grasped his hand and crushed it.  Ra’s contacted White Ghost, telling him to send backup to Nanda Parbat, and enough explosives to blow up the hidden city if need be. Damian disguised himself as a League ninja to join White Ghost, who easily saw through his disguise. Alfred flew Talia, Robin and Nightwing to Nanda Parbat, where all Hell had broken loose. Ra’s had hold of Damien, ready to possess his body while Batman and the monks of Parbat fought furiously with the League of Assassins.

(Detective Comics I #839) - The new arrivals turned the tide of battle and Batman pulled Damian away from Ra’s, telling his son to grab a sword and fight. Talia was furious, accusing Batman of being willing to send his own son to his death, and Batman replied that he expected the same out of Damian as he did his other children. White Ghost offered himself up to Ra’s, asking him to take over his body. Ra’s was touched that the son he always despised always gave the most, and took control of his form, effectively killing his son. Ra’s told Batman and company that his son’s sacrifice would not be in vain, and because he believed in an eye for an eye he would kill Robin and Damian. Talia knocked out Damian and fled with him, telling Batman he was surely going to die in his final stand against Ra’s, and she was protecting the legacy of the man she once loved. Batman clashed furiously with Ra’s while Robin and Nightwing fought the Men of Death, keeping them from interfering. A blast of mystic energy separated Ra’s and Batman, and the monks of Parbat said they’d prayed to Rama Kushna and showed her the devastation Ra’s had wrought. Kushna decreed that Nanda Parbat was forever closed to Ra’s, and that if he refused to leave he would face death everlasting. Ra’s didn’t want his fight to be over, but when the ground started opening up beneath him he was forced to flee with his League of Assassins.

(Azrael: Death’s Dark Knight #1-3) - The Suit of Sorrows was stolen from the Batcave by the Order of Purity, the secret organization that originally forged it. Talia wanted it back in her possession in order to bequeath it to her son Damian, and sent Hook and the League of Assassins to do the job. The League was thwarted by Azrael, the Order’s new chosen knight who wore the Suit of Sorrows. Nightwing convinced Talia and the League to give up on recovering the Suit of Sorrows. He wanted to give Azrael a chance at being a hero, and promised Talia that if he went rogue Azrael would become his responsibility.

Comments: Created by Grant Morrison & Tony S. Daniel.

The original League of Assassins Hook was the killer who ended Deadman's life.

All characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © DC Comics, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Please visit The Official DC Comics Site at: http://www.batman.com